The Brother Code
by QueenYoda
Summary: Ashamed by his inability to protect his once more dangerously injured partner, Hercules abandons Iolaus for his own safety. However, the determined hunter will not accept no for an answer, and scoping Hercules out, they have to go through this one more time and reestablish the brother code.


Hercules stood sentinel over his friend, arms crossed, dark grey eyes unreadable to those who did not observe closely. At his side, Aiello stood as only a witness to the unknown moments behind the hero.

The parts no one knew about, the silent times of injury and denial, doubt and deceit. The hut was sweltering in the mid-morning heat. The sky above was cloudless, the plentiful forests around the city shielding them in an air of perfect surreal beauty.

"Will he be alright, do you think?" Aiello asked softly, staring at the man lying useless, unresponsive, placid upon the floor. He was on the floor, not in a grand palace bed where he belonged, not even on the soft mossy grounds of the forests he so loved, but the dirt ground.

Some shelter, but it was the only one they had, and the house owners were good, kind people. "He's a strong man," Hercules said back calmly, not taking his eyes from Iolaus.

Rage simmered in his chest, he exhaled slowly in an attempt to release it. Hatred did nothing but fester and embitter otherwise pristine places. He had seen it happen, he knew what it felt like, knew how painful and useless an emotion hatred was.

All the same, it wasn't always easy to let go. Most of the time you had to accept a feeling before you let it go. Hercules could not-_would_ not-accept what those men had done to Iolaus as right. He could forgive any atrocity thrown at him, could excuse every tiny misdemeanor or murder attempt thrown his way, but not when it was directed at the people he loved. Like his family.

He could never forgive Hera for that, nor Zeus.

He could no less forgive Festius for the crimes committed against an innocent man. Attack him, but not his friends. And another thing…he could never forgive himself. He would never stop hearing Iolaus scream, cry out, gasp and writhe in agony…It wasn't fair.

They had tortured him, hurt him badly enough to kill. Perhaps that had been their intent all along, until Hercules finally cried out for it to stop. He had held out for maybe a day and a half. That prison had held no reasonable way to measure time in its walls.

He had watched Iolaus scream, gasp, cry out and writhe for a day and a half, eyes trained on his friend's face, twisted into pain. Iolaus hadn't given them what they wanted, never confessed, though he had begged.

Only once. But he had. Hercules would never forget it. Would never stop internally weeping for his friend. Aiello glanced out the window and sighed. "I should get going-father will need me in the fields. Is there anything else you think he might need, Hercules?" The young man asked.

He was perhaps eighteen at most. Hercules remembered that age and time. The boy had a seasoned head on his shoulders, had a good heart. Perhaps one day he would be the new Iolaus, and create a new partnership with a new Hercules.

The thought made him smile wanly. "No thanks Aiello, you've done enough, and I thank you," he rested a large hand on the bony shoulder, if only to keep himself upright than to lend comfort.

Seeing Iolaus like this…_Again_…Was sickening. It was a torture so undefined and cruel that he could hardly think on it for too long without feeling nauseous. "I think I have it under control from here. I'm sure he'll be fine," but he wasn't sure. That was the thing. Sureness seemed to have fled with Iolaus's consciousness.

He didn't know why he kept letting Iolaus tag along with him.

Aiello nodded, face twisted into bitter dubiousness, and fled the scene. Hercules stayed where he was another moment more.

The small room where they had been housed was stone, and was exhaustingly hot, despite the open window and the few breezes that came their way. Outside, people bustled out to the fields, laughing, talking cheerily, as if Iolaus and his pain did not exist.

Hercules stomped down on his infernal rage and dropped to his knees beside Iolaus. The air was dry and suffocating. Iolaus barely breathing, honest blue eyes shut in fitful slumber, horrible nightmares.

Hercules took the wet rag from its bowl and gently sponged the man's forehead and chest, in an attempt to keep him cool, not that it mattered. Iolaus's skin was freezing anyway, not hot with the burning fires of fighting life. He was cold as a corpse, yet his pulse beat on unsteadily, stumbling over itself as a drunkard stumbles over a footstool.

He sighed and dropped the rag, patting Iolaus on the shoulder out of habit, wishing his friend would wake up. He had been out since they escaped. Or, rather, since he had escaped.

He had run away first, when he and Iolaus had first been captured and still left with some fighting spirit. The bandits had tried to torture him, too, but to his amusement, found out rather quickly he had an unnaturally high pain tolerance.

Finally, one night, deciding that it would be better for one to stay and keep an eye on the band of vindictive bandits and the other escape to warn the royal matriarchs and their people that enemy assassins were on their way to the secret underground bunker, they had split up.

Hercules…He so regretted that now.

He had warned the matriarchs, and had helped the refugees onto the roads. Some old war friends of Hercules's or another had taken them in on their way to a convention in a larger city; he had turned back.

He and Iolaus had planned to meet up halfway between points, but when Hercules arrived, Iolaus hadn't been there.

He had waited a few hours, merciless hours, before worry getting the better of him, had walked foolishly into an ambush. He had the strength of ten men. He could fight about twenty trained adversaries on his own, and even that was cutting it close.

There had been fifty. The fight had lasted perhaps five minutes before he was knocked out, tied up, and brought back to the cell, where he met Iolaus again. The hunter had not even been able to stand. He had felt so wiry and limp in Hercules's arms, every inch of his muscular body covered in bruises, cuts, and welts.

Even then, Hercules had not been overly concerned. It was not as if Iolaus had never been beaten up before. And as common ritual dictated, Iolaus had been his defiant, witty, proud self in the cell. He had teased Hercules about his timing and raged indignantly when Hercules tried to bandage his cuts.

But that wasn't the worst of it.

By then, their captors were angry. Very angry. So, tying him with chains that had been conveniently made by Hephaestus himself (how they got those things, he didn't want to know) They had tried to beat the information of the vanquished city out of him another way, by Iolaus.

It had been terrible. He had never known there were so many ways to…To hurt a person so cruelly. And they had laughed. They_ laughed_ as Iolaus doubled over, coughing out blood. As the day wore on and the torture intensified, Iolaus lost his bravado.

That was what made Hercules afraid. His friend had slowly been…Annihilated. As if everything good, brave and cocky about his friend was being sucked out with physical punishment.

Hercules had shouted, had screamed, had_ pleaded_ for them to take him instead, but they didn't listen. They had gone on torturing his best friend. And then when they…When they stripped him down and _violate_d him, made him scream in agony. That's when Hercules almost wept. That's when Iolaus begged. It had torn them both apart, by tight strands of pain.

After that he had told them where the monarchs hidden lair was. The lair in which the monarchs were no longer in. The men who had…Had done terrible deeds already had all but abandoned them in the cell to rot, him separated from Iolaus. He had easily snapped the bars of his prison and escaped to the nearest settlement with his friend in tow.

He had sent a messenger to his brother, King Ithicles and Jason, telling them to send soldiers out to arrest and_ behead_ those bandits. He had literally added behead in the message. He would worry about honor later.

No one deserved to die more than they did.

"Ugh…" A sudden voice mumbled. Hercules looked down, and smiled. Bruised and black azure eyes fluttered open weakly. Iolaus caught sight of him, but did not smile back. He seemed unfocused. "Iolaus," Hercules said softly, sponging his friend's brow again.

"Can you hear me, buddy? Come on, Iolaus, answer me," he demanded, staring into bottomless, distant eyes.

Usually filled with volatile emotions, Iolaus had never learned to guard his eyes. They spoke for him when he could not. Affection, love, guilt, hatred, anger, frustration, his eyes were an open doorway into his heart. Now, though, they were empty of thought, of reason or emotion. His friend looked like a husk.

"Water," Iolaus rasped in a hoarse voice. "P-please…Just a l-little water," he coughed out pleadingly. Hercules inhaled sharply and hurriedly grabbed a small ladle, dipping it into the cold refreshment and putting it to his friend's lips. At last, something he could do to _help_.

Iolaus sipped at the cold liquid greedily, weakly. Neck muscles straining, he attempted to lift his head. Hercules put a hand under his neck before it could fall back down, and felt the shredded skin of having hair ripped forcibly from your scalp. His jaw clenched.

Finally, after only drinking a second of the ladle's contents, Iolaus fell back with a small gasp, exhausted. Hercules watched him worriedly. "Hey pal, um… How do you feel?" He wondered softly, tucking the bowl away. Iolaus didn't answer. Instead, his eyes slowly descended shut, not a spark of recognition or recollection in them. He looked as if his soul had been taken.

Hercules leaned back and clenched his fists. This was all his fault.

* * *

"What's this about beheading people?" Was Ithicles's first question on the matter.

"How's Iolaus doing?" Was the question his mother and Rena asked in unison.

"Are you alright?" Jason topped the cake by demanding.

Hercules held up his hand against the deluge of questions that filed in one after another following these statements. Immediately his family went silent, glaring, huffing and pertly screwing lips into displeasure. Hercules inhaled deeply. "First of all: it's good to see all of you," they didn't fall for the stall tactic. They all only glared more profusely.

"Secondly, your highness, I'm sorry I added that in. I wasn't….I wasn't myself right then. I was angry. I don't actually want you to behead them," he assured his wayward brother, who nodded in relief. Hercules had no doubt Ithicles would have done it had he asked, but neither wanted the guilt of it on their heads forever. It wasn't worth it.

"Iolaus is…he's pretty bad. Did you bring a healer with you?" he asked, down playing it by _a lot_, but knowing Iolaus would rather face the hydra again than have people worry over his health.

"The best in the palace," Rena piped in before Ithicles could. Hercules felt his heart jump start, maybe Iolaus would make it through this one with no more than a mere scratch on the chin…

Maybe.

"And you? Are you doing alright?" Jason repeated. Hercules pivoted his head back and forth thoughtfully. "I'm better off than Iolaus, that's for sure, but…" He trailed off into somberness. "What?" Alcmene asked, her own large eyes, so much like his own, worried for both men whom she had basically raised. "Well, I, uh," how to explain this gently?

"They forced me to watch them torture him, and well…Huh, they were quite _creative_, to tell you the worst of it," sharp intakes of breath all around. Alcmene covered her mouth, eyes widening in mute horror. Ithicles raised both brows and exchanged a look with Jason.

"I see. Let's get him out of here, and with the healers," Ithicles decided quietly, waving some of his guardsmen and physicians closer. "Lead the way," he said, with a small nod in Hercules's direction.

Trying for all purposes not to run as fast as he could, Hercules led them through the city and to the house where Iolaus was kept. Ducking into the doorway, he walked in to see Iolaus even paler than before. His eyes were once again open, though he said nothing as Hercules and the other's approached. He only stared at the ceiling, in silent stillness.

"Iolaus?" Alcmene gasped, as they came in. The physicians hurried around to poke and prod at him gently. Hercules watched them hopefully. "Hexon, your diagnosis?" Ithicles called a moment later, when the line of men had sat back on their haunches gravely.

The aforementioned man looked up with compassionate brown eyes. "We don't know yet, your majesty, he's…Unresponsive. These injuries…They are severe. If he does live, I don't think he'll ever be mentally stable again," he said. Hercules shook his head slowly.

"No," he whispered. Not Iolaus. Not his best friend, not…Not this. Taking a body was one thing, taking a _mind_…

"Load him into the carriage, gently," ordered the king, eyes trained on Iolaus. Then, almost as an afterthought, he added: "I think I'll behead them after all," Ithicles observed darkly. "Now, now, let's not get barbaric. We aren't sure he's never going to…Well, we aren't sure of much right now," Jason, ever the cool head, told them comfortingly.

Hercules was hardly listening, or breathing. Iolaus, reduced to a common mask of…of emotionless, expressionless, unreceptive body. Would he ever crack another bad joke? Would he ever stand, or recognize those who cared for him after all? Was he really so…

Gone?

"No," he whispered again, watching as the physicians loaded Iolaus unto a stretcher. The small man let out a guttural cry when he was touched. "N-no! No more!" he cried out chokingly. Hercules looked away; feeling hot tears spring to his eyes. That was how he had sounded when…

"NO!" With a hoarse yell of his own, Hercules rammed one meaty fist into the wall. The entire enclosure shuddered under the blow. The others cringed. "Hercules!" Alcmene gasped as Jason and Ithicles rushed forward to take his fist away from the wall.

"Easy, brother. Easy. That won't help," Ithicles soothed him as he allowed them to drag him backwards. "He's right Hercules," the physicians exited, with Iolaus muttering soft pleads on the stretcher between them.

"I know this is hard for you, but punching walls never solves problems. Believe me, I know," Jason tried to joke. Hercules turned to him, grateful for the try, but heart burning with the fact that he was helpless against this. There was no way to save Iolaus this time. The Great Hercules was unable to save his friend though he had saved all others.

* * *

The trip was eternal and grueling. Trekking along old and abandoned forest roads that jolted the carriages every so often. Iolaus would groan softly whenever moved. He had been tied down to prevent him shaking so much, yet even that did not still his movements entirely.

Hercules sighed and glanced around them for anyone that wished to pick a fight. He would oblige them today. Heck, he would be grateful if Ares appeared out of nowhere and gave him an outlet to release this fury.

But the gods, for once, had nothing to do with this. There was no one to blame but himself. And the guards that accompanied Ithicles everywhere had scared away any brave thieves hiding.

"We're almost there, Hercules," Ithicles, who had agreed to go on foot if it gave Iolaus the carriage spoke, coming up beside him. Hercules nodded. "Good. Good. How's Iolaus?" He wondered.

Ithicles sighed. "Hallucinating. It's a struggle just to hold him down. He thinks he's still in the prison where they kept him," ah, yes. "He was unconscious when I lugged him out," Hercules observed, to some dispassionately.

Ithicles was not those some who would think so. He smiled, sadly. "It wasn't your fault, Hercules," he told him, once again doing that brother mind reading thing. "Then whose fault is it?" Hercules replied, keeping his eyesight straight ahead, half to keep guard and half to hide his tears.

"Let's see…Festius, maybe? That rotten piece of Yak dung is staying in prison for the rest of his life. Justice has been served," but for some reason Iolaus was still suffering. And it was because of him.

"They tortured him to get to me. And…And I let them, Ithicles. Now he's paying the price," he moved ahead. This conversation was over. His mind was made up. "When we get back to the city gates," he stopped as his voice cracked. "We part ways there," he said. "What?" Ithicles demanded, surprised. "Why?"

"Because I…Because. If Iolaus ever does get better, I don't want him to follow me. Iolaus has been hurt enough on my account. He doesn't deserve it. It'll be better if…" the fact that his heart would break meant nothing at all. If it kept Iolaus safe, then who cared what happened to him?

"Herc, I think you need some time to think this over, to really consider what you're doing. You and Iolaus are a team! And do you think he's going to recover any faster when you aren't there?" Ithicles demanded reasonably.

Hercules shook his head. "I can't keep putting him in danger like this, Ithicles. It's not fair, to any of you. I already lost my family, I don't…" Ithicles did not make him finish.

Putting a large hand on his arm, his brother looked into his eyes worriedly. "Are you sure this is what you want? You know, _when_ he does get better, he'll come after you. He'll find you," he reminded him. "Then I trust you to stop him," Hercules replied evenly.

"Hercules, you know that when Iolaus has made up his mind, there is no stopping him," Ithicles snorted, taking the hand away. He stopped. Hercules halted with him, and sighed, turning to face his king of a brother. "But he'll listen to those that he respects. Like you and mother and Jason. Keep him away from me, Ithicles. Tell him I left him, I hated him, that I wanted to get rid of him, anything," he gulped past the lump in his throat.

"Just…Please brother, don't let him come after me. Send him home to his mother and stepfather. Convince him to get married and have twenty little hunter sons," he smiled wanly at the thought of twenty tiny blonde-haired children running around with bows and arrows tied to their back.

He reached out and grabbed Ithicles by the arm. The City gates were just ahead. "Make sure he's happy for me," he beseeched. Ithicles opened his mouth, but before he could say anymore, Hercules took a last look at the carriage, which held his best friend hostage, muttering and crying out in pain, and shook his head.

"For me," he muttered again. They wouldn't even get to say goodbye. Tears spilling over his cheeks, he ran the other way, ignoring Ithicles's calls for him to come back. He ignored the way his heart yelled for him to turn back. And most of all, he pretended not to hear when Iolaus himself cried out a familiar name in his dementia.

"Hercules!"

* * *

**_Several months later:_**

The small town of Kena wasn't the worst Hercules had ever been too, the people were kind, and strong. Hercules smiled as he watched a group of young men patching an elderly woman's roof after the recent attack by one of Apollo's monsters.

The giant snake-winged-bird-fire spitting creature was dead, vanquished in a relatively draining game of keep away that had included a tree and a small circus performer. It wasn't the craziest adventure he had ever had, but it sufficed.

As much as being without a partner did suffice. Hercules wasn't usually tired, in fact he had rarely felt exhaustion, yet he seemed to feel the aging muscles in his body snap more often now. Probably because he had to watch his back and front at the same time. He sighed and watched a young girl carry wood over to the boys.

Ah, young love.

Hercules chuckled softly, without any real happiness. Everything seemed less funny without Iolaus there to make some dumb joke on it's behalf. "Hercules!" Snapped out of his gloomy thoughts, he turned to the leader of this community, Magnus, who smiled at him, his tanned skinned face full of gratitude. Hercules grinned back.

"We all owe you our sincere thanks for saving our town. I'm not sure how we can ever repay you, but…" Hercules interrupted hurriedly. "Your thanks are payment enough, Magnus. Though, I'd like to stay a few days. Just to make sure that everything gets built again correctly," he glanced pointedly at the teens, who, while their intentions were good and their deeds impressionable, were using the wrong materials for the roof.

Magnus chuckled, eyes flashing with amusement. "They are sweet, but ignorant. Yes, please do stay. I will introduce you to the innkeeper, and he will show you your room, free of charge," he added cheerily.

Hercules nodded. "Thank you, I…" They were interrupted by a crash and a scream. Hercules swiveled around to see the house the teens had been working on aflame.

Several of the young adults had scrambled backwards, screeching as tiny fires erupted on their clothes. Hercules rushed forward to pat at a growing flame on the leg of one boy's pants.

Magnus followed, along with several men carrying buckets of water. "My friends!" the boy cried as Hercules put out the fire on his breeches. "Please, they're trapped inside! My friends!" Hercules looked up and indeed, heard the screams of several people inside of the crumbling structure.

Leaving the teen to scramble madly back home, he ran forward and examined the house hurriedly. He could not just barge inside, the entire structure would cave in, but there was no space big enough to accommodate anything different. He paced, growling, the children's cries for help ringing in his heart. He had to do something!

Suddenly, a familiar voice screamed a cherished name. "Iolaus! Get back here! IOLAUS!" Jason wailed just as a swift shadow emerged from the forest, throwing sword and quiver down forcibly as he dashed towards the house. Before Hercules could express shock, his friend, nimble as a street cat, shimmied his way inside one of the openings.

Hercules gasped and shook his head. It could not be…

It was. Jason came trotting into the clearing, gasping for breath. "Iolaus!" he cried again, exasperatingly. Then, noticing him, his eyes widened. "Hercules?" he gasped. "Jason," Hercules replied quickly, his heart skipping several needed beats. "What is Iolaus doing here?" he demanded.

"Oh, I'll tell you what he's doing here, he's being a sore pain in my…" before Jason could finish that lovely thought, A small robust body stumbled out of the crumbling door, two bodies thrown over his shoulders and another person hanging unto his neck, body pressed to his back.

"Iolaus!" Jason shouted, moving forward to catch the man just as he dropped to his knees, hacking and coughing dryly. The three survivors fell to the ground, coughing violently. Townspeople moved in to help the hero and the survivors alike.

Hercules slowly walked over, feeling as if he were in a dream. Iolaus…he had not seen his best friend in so long, it felt as if it were too good to be true that he was sitting right before him.

Hercules had not known if he would ever see Iolaus again, and if he did, if Iolaus would even recognize him. His heart hammered in his ears, ringing solidly against his pulse points. "Iolaus, oh you idiot, I told you not to do this. It's alright, folks, just give him some space, he'll be okay…Hercules, could you give me a hand? Iolaus needs room," Jason spoke calmly, yet Hercules noticed the way the corner of his eyes crinkled slightly, a sure sign of anxiety.

Still feeling as if he were in a dream, he walked over, half detached from his body, and helped shoo the anxious and helpful flocks of people away to put out the fire still raging before it could devour anything else.

As they trickled away, he looked down at Iolaus, on his knees, coughing haggardly. He didn't look well. His skin was ashen and had turned a sickly yellow color.

His golden curls stuck to his head with sweat he doubted was all from the fire. He was gasping as he coughed and hacked, entire body shuddering. Both fists were twisted into his hair tightly as he sat there, gasping.

Reality snapped back into place. He blinked. "Iolaus?" He asked softly. Jason had an arm around the other man, eyes concerned. "Hercules-is there somewhere we could put him to help him lie down? He needs rest," Jason asked, looking up. Hercules nodded, numbly, and knelt.

"Let me carry him," he said, already slipping a hand beneath Iolaus's back. Iolaus didn't respond, merely looked up at him with feverish, frightened eyes. "D-don't hit me," he muttered, still trembling as if he were caught in a cold spell despite the heat of the day.

Hercules scowled as he carried him to the inn. "What's wrong with him?" he asked Jason softly. "What isn't?" Jason snorted, bitterly. "He's caught in a flashback. They come on him, randomly, but mostly when he does something to get his heart rate up. It's as if he goes back to the cell and relives everything they did to him all over again. It's his only side-effect, but the physicians say he'll have it for the rest of his life," Jason explained wearily.

Hercules inhaled sharply. The rooms inside the inn were cool and dim. Magnus looked up from where he had been flirting with the innkeepers daughter. "Oh! Hercules…Say, is that man alright?" He asked, brown eyes crinkling into worry. "Yes, he's fine, but I don't suppose you'd like to show us that room now?" Hercules asked politely, striving to keep the urgency from his voice.

"Yes, yes! Oh, poor duckling, he looks feverish…Come, come, I'll get him some warm brew," the woman said, bustling him and Jason up the stairs and into a small apartment.

"Glad Iolaus isn't cognizant enough to know that he's been dubbed a poor duckling," Jason muttered as the woman ran out to grab them some broth and whatever else she felt they needed.

"She's pretty, he'd probably like it," Hercules replied dryly, as he lowered Iolaus unto the soft bed. Iolaus's eyes had rolled back into his head. He muttered words unrecognizable. Hercules sat on the bed by his side and brushed some of his friend's hair back anxiously. "Iolaus! Iolaus, wake up!" he cried, shaking his shoulder. Iolaus didn't respond.

"There's no way to snap him out of it," Jason told him sadly. "It only goes on for a few minutes, but those few minutes are horrible for him. It's part of his condition," Jason said. Hercules perked up.

"What condition?" he demanded, swirling around. Jason stared at him for a moment, shocked, his brows raising. "Y-you didn't get Ithicles's letter?" He gasped. Hercules did not answer. A picture of just that letter flashed before his inner eye. He stopped breathing for a moment. Jason did not notice. He crossed his arms and shifted feet nervously.

"Herc-we sent you a letter weeks ago. Iolaus is dying," Hercules inhaled sharply. His head snapped down to his friend, quietly shaking his head as if to ward off spirits.

"No," he mumbled. "No…I-I thought it was just a ploy. A way to bring me back so he could get me and Iolaus back together…Jason, you're serious?" he asked, hoping above hope that Jason was lying, joking around, _anything_…

"You know I'd never joke around with something like that Hercules, me or Ithicles. Iolaus wanted to see you. It is his last wish to spend the last days of his life with you. When you didn't come, he ran away from the palace to find you himself. We sent guards, but they never found him. I just caught up with him in the forest about a mile back, and I've been chasing him ever since," he told Hercules solemnly. Hercules felt his bottom lip quiver. He couldn't let this happen. "What's killing him?" He asked quietly.

"Some sort of sickness. None of the healers can cure it, or even figure out what it is. It's slowly eating him away. Its why he's supposed to be in bed, resting," he said. Hercules stared at him, slowly shaking his head.

"It can't be," he said. A small yet hard hand suddenly slipped over his. He looked down to see Iolaus staring up at him with mournful but comforting blue eyes. "It is, Hercules. I'm a dead man," Iolaus told him matter of fact. He didn't seem at all afraid, or disturbed. He was oddly calm about it.

Hercules placed a hand over Iolaus's. His skin was clammy and thin. He could feel the bones underneath them, and the blood vessels. "No," he whispered, squeezing the fragile appendage. "No, I'll find a cure. I'll search all of Earth and Olympus if I have too. I'll find you a cure, Iolaus," he promised determinedly.

"Hercules, we don't even know what it is that's killing him," Jason reminded him gently. Iolaus nodded weakly. "Face it, buddy, I'm dying. All we can do now is make the best of it," he said, straining to sit up. Hercules was aghast.

"How can you be so nonchalant about this?" he looked between them and scoffed at the twin pairs of sympathetic eyes that met his own. "I am not letting you die!" he told Iolaus as the small man struggled into a sitting position.

Jason sighed and crossed his arms. "Hercules, I hate to say it; and I know it's hard, but there is nothing you can do for him now. Except be there, and make sure he rests, he'll last longer that way," he said, eyeing Iolaus sternly. Iolaus snorted defiantly, finally managing to sit up on his own. Gasping for breath, he gave Jason a sheepish grin.

"Not dead yet," he wheezed. Jason rolled his eyes affectionately. "Give it awhile, you'll run yourself dry," he scolded. "Let him do that. I'm off to see what god knows what about his condition," Hercules began, already standing. He started out the door, but Jason blocked his way.

"Oh, no you don't! We already told you-_Iolaus is dying_. Accept it. He came all this way to spend his last minutes with you. And he _will_, whether you like it or not," Jason told him sternly, stubborn battle readiness entering his eyes. Hercules knew there was no negotiating out of this one.

"I can't believe this!" he growled, throwing up his hands. "You won't even try to save him?" he demanded. "They already have tried, Hercules," Iolaus piped up calmly from behind them.

"And they failed. Everyone else has accepted it. If you care about me at all, then you'll at least accept it too," he said reasonably. Hercules swiveled around. "You want me to just sit back and do_ nothing_?" He gasped, outraged. "No, I want you to come and help ease me from this life to the underworld. Is that too much to ask?" Iolaus asked cynically.

"It most certainly is not," Jason decided, pushing past Hercules. He walked over to grip Iolaus's hand in a handshake of farewell. "It was an honor to fight beside you, Iolaus," he said softly. Iolaus gave him a small smile and nodded. "Same to you. Live in peace, Jason," he countered sincerely. Hercules's jaw dropped. "You're_ leaving_?" he squawked.

"Yes, I am going back to Alcmene and Iolaus's mother. They were having a sobbing fest last time I saw. I think it best if I go join in the ranks," he told Hercules primly, as he pushed past. "Ah, don't cry for me Jason, and tell the others not to weep either!" Iolaus called after him, guiltily.

Jason waved a last time and closed the door behind him. Hercules let out a long breath, staring at the door. "Great," he muttered. "What am I going to do_ now_?" he asked himself.

"If I may interrupt your sulking, I thought I could at least get a handshake myself, even if I am unworthy of taking up some of your valuable time," Iolaus tittered darkly, resentfully. Hercules turned.

He exhaled slowly, eyes traveling over his friend's shallow and gaunt face. "You haven't been eating," he observed as he walked over to grab Iolaus's forearm in the customary hello of close friends. Iolaus gave a half shrug. "Can't keep anything down," he replied casually.

"Well, Iolaus, it does no good to starve yourself. You're already dying," Hercules sighed, kneeling by the bed. Iolaus rolled his eyes. "Don't lecture me today, okay? I don't exactly know how much time I have left, but it isn't much. Know any good fishing spots?" He loved fishing.

Hercules studied him a moment more. "Are you sure you can…Handle it?" he asked. Iolaus swung his legs from the side of the bed. "I'm not a useless cripple_ yet_, Herc," he sneered. "And fishing doesn't require much energy. I think I can do something so simple as throwing worms into the water and sitting tight for awhile," he scoffed.

Hercules gulped. "If you think you can handle it, yes, I do know a good spot. It's nice and quiet, too. I just hope we don't get bombarded on our way there," he said, grabbing Iolaus's arm to haul him up. Iolaus issued no more than an embarrassed flush when his knees buckled a moment before he found his balance. "Me too," he mumbled. Hercules put a hand on his back, but Iolaus shook it off.

"I'm not a weakling," he barked, hurrying towards the door, steady as a pouncing cat. Hercules sighed and followed, heart wringing into knots. This was all his fault.

* * *

"You can't be serious!" Hercules cried as he laughed. Iolaus nodded smugly, hunched over and chewing a piece of wheat in his mouth as he waited for a snag. "Yep, it was hilarious. Rena sure packs a punch when she's mad," he snickered.

Hercules shook his head and leaned back to bask in the sweet kiss of the sun and warm breezes. They were sitting on the bank of the river, the forest sending cool drafts on their backs and birds singing songs among those trees.

"What? Did she punch you too?" He asked, glancing at Iolaus. His skin was mottled still with bruises and cuts, but he doubted one of those was from Rena. Iolaus shook his head, chuckling.

"No, being the poor, abused torture victim I escaped punishment," he said. Hercules guffawed. "Cheater! You don't seem so poor and abused to me!" he said. Iolaus turned large, innocent eyes on Hercules. "But I_ am_ abused, Hercules, I have to spend my last days with you, don't I?" he asked sweetly. Hercules chuckled and nudged him.

"Careful, you imp. One more comment like that and I'll use _you_ as bait for the fish," he threatened playfully. Iolaus sniffed contemptuously. "Hero's don't dunk injured and dying men in ponds, big guy," he told him smugly.

"This one does," Hercules lied coolly. "Oh, yeah? Do it then," neither of them moved. Iolaus laughed. "See there? I rest my case," he said. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, you're lucky is all," Hercules relented.

They rested in companionable silence, Iolaus leisurely tugging experimentally on his line, listening to the birds. Once, it had been their favorite pass time to see if he could name them all. Usually he had been able too. Being a hunter, Iolaus knew almost every single animal that wandered the forests, mountains, plains, trees and seas. That was one of the many things he did better than Hercules. Sighing, Hercules glanced at his friend.

"Iolaus?" he asked softly. His friend cocked one eyebrow to indicate he was listening. "Why did you want to spend your last few days with me?" he asked. Iolaus stiffened as if he had been slapped. Hercules wondered what he had said.

"Why? Did you have something better to do? Someone else you wanted to see?" Iolaus asked angrily. Hercules recoiled, surprised. "No," he assured his friend. "No, never. Iolaus, it was only a question," he stammered, shocked by his friend's sudden anger. Iolaus was hotheaded, but never with him.

"I know what it was. Maybe I just wanted to see you before I go, alright? Even if my company is a waste of_ your_ time, I did like being your friend for some reason," Iolaus grumbled. Hercules was further shocked. "Waste of time? Iolaus, why would…?" He never was able to finish.

Suddenly, twelve growling men hopped from the bushes, knives, swords and spears held in their hands."Give us your money!" One of them shouted. Hercules cocked an eyebrow as Iolaus sighed huffily, shoulders drawn into a tense and impatient line. "I'll handle this," Hercules muttered.

He stood and splayed his palms peacefully. "I'm sorry, but we don't have any money to give you," he told them modestly. The bandits chuckled evilly. Hercules had a bad feeling about this.

Jason had said Iolaus needed to rest, not battle stupid thieves in the woods. "Then we'll kill _you_ in compensation!" Why were people so violent nowadays? Lunging, the so forth leader attempted to spear him. Hercules grabbed the spear by its handle and glared at his adversary.

"Can't a man fish in peace anymore?" he demanded. He glanced at his friend, and saw Iolaus stand; Hercules locked eyes with him, and saw the thought in his eyes at once. He heard the sound of Iolaus drawing his sword. "No! Iolaus don't!" he cried just as the man blatantly did not listen as usual and charged the other men coming towards him.

Hercules let out a growl of frustration and fought off the ones attacking. Without much conscious thought, he had broken spears in half, sent many men flying into the trees, kicked a few in sensitive places, and sent about two into the stream. "Hercules!" Iolaus suddenly yelped. Hercules twirled to see his friend flung into the pond after the latest stray.

In a second, Iolaus's pupils had dilated and he cried out, desperately lunging towards the bank. "Hercules! The flashbacks! Get me out of here!" he gasped, struggling to ward off the mental images so he could reach dry land. Hercules clenched his teeth. "Hold on Iolaus!" he shouted back.

"Hey! Come back here, little man! Let's get him!" The two men he had also flung in the pond cried, diving towards Iolaus. "NO!" Hercules screamed as both of Iolaus's ankles were grabbed and he was pulled back.

He met his friend's eyes; saw the flash of panic and terror before his eyes rolled back in his head. "No! Iolaus! Leave him _alone_!" he cried, fighting off the four guys who were really getting on his nerves by now.

Finally, impatience and fear getting the better of him, he landed a punch of the same hand to all four faces and didn't stick to watch them fall to the ground, dazed. Iolaus was under water by now, being mercilessly drowned by the two men.

Hercules, without waiting, dived in the water after his friend. He didn't even recall what he did to the two men, time seemed to halt until he dived, grabbed Iolaus and dragged them both of them ashore, him gasping and Iolaus still trembling yet not breathing beside him.

"You thrice cursed…"

He slammed both hands on Iolaus's chest, pushing the water from him.

"Idiotic…"

Another slam.

"Glory seeking, dimwitted…."

Another slam, he put his mouth to Iolaus's, heart thundering with terror, tried to breathe life into cold lips.

"Arrogant, hotheaded…"

Some water trickled out of the edge of an immobile mouth.

"Short, dastardly…"

He slammed his palms a fifth or sixth time, desperate.

"_Fool_! Wake up already!" he shouted, just as a fountain of water erupted from Iolaus's mouth. Coughing, Iolaus rolled unto his side, heaving water.

Hercules sat back with a sigh of relief. "Iolaus, what were you possibly thinking? You could have been killed!" he demanded when Iolaus sat back, shivering with cold. The both of them were sopping wet.

Iolaus opened his mouth, but suddenly cringed. "Flashback," he gasped, hands fisting in the grass. Hercules groaned and ran a hand over his face. "You can't fight them?" he asked softly, irritated, worried, infuriated, and still terrified. Why did Iolaus always do this to him?

"Can't," Iolaus shook his head and let out a long, agonizing moan. "This one will last awhile. Get me out of here," he coughed; chest rippling with choked breaths.

Hercules leaned over him and took one cold hand in his. "Come on, buddy, you can fight it," he encouraged softly. He didn't want to see Iolaus in that much pain, so…Vulnerable ever again.

But his friend didn't seem to see or even hear him. His eyes misted over and he shook his head desperately, sudden tears suddenly coming into his eyes. "No, not that. By the gods, not that," he pleaded whatever imaginary tormenter was above him.

Hercules's heart clenched as Iolaus's eyes rolled back and he went limp. His own breaths choked off by the spectacle so far, Hercules shook his head and tugged Iolaus into his arms for the second time that day.

Then, heart heavy and a large lump in his throat; he carried him back to town.

* * *

Iolaus woke screaming the next morning. Hercules, who had slept on the floor at the foot of Iolaus's bed, sat straight up, crouched and ready for attack, but the nightmare was over.

Blinking himself awake, he peered over at Iolaus over the edge of the bed and found the older man sitting up in bed, sheets tangles around his legs, chest quaking with his tears, face tear streaked, wide eyes open and unblinking as he stared at his hands.

"No blood," he realized hazily. Then, he looked up and saw Hercules. "Herc!" he squeaked. He colored with mortification. "How long have been there, exactly?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head shamefacedly. Hercules exhaled slowly, noting the way Iolaus's eyes were red with the tears he had shed all night, and how gaunt his face was with his slow starvation.

"Long enough to know what I have to do," he determined grimly, standing. He walked over and grabbed his shirt. "What do you mean?" Iolaus wondered. Hercules did not need to look to know he was wiping away any traces of tears.

"I'm going to find you that cure, Iolaus. I won't let you die and you can't keep living like this. You stay out of trouble and stay in bed. I'll be back," but Iolaus wouldn't hear of it. "Herc get back here. There's no cure, nothing you can do. I'm fine," he lied, somehow still obstinate enough to fight.

"No you aren't Iolaus. I can't just sit here anymore and watch you go through this. I'm going to do something about it," he determined. "You're just going to leave me here?" Iolaus demanded, astonished. "I'll be back," Hercules reminded him confidently.

"You'll be safe here. The people are kind, they'll look after you, but I'm going to find that cure," he said again. "Hercules, no!" Iolaus said again. "There_ is_ no cure! You'll go on a wild goose chase and leave me here to die alone!" he yelled.

"You have no faith in my abilities, I see. No one is dying Iolaus, not on my watch," he smiled comfortingly at his friend, who was glaring at him with anxious and angry eyes.

"Don't worry, Iolaus. I_ promise_," he swore. "And I promise you that if you leave now you'll come back empty handed to a corpse! Unplug your stubborn hero ears and_ listen_, would you?" Iolaus shouted; a flame springing to life in his eyes. Hercules waved his hand indifferently, impatient, ready, determined.

Iolaus noticed the same fire in his eyes, and deflated. "Fine," he wheezed, sitting back on his pillows. "Abandon me here to rot away. I don't care. I guess no one else is allowed to be right in your life," he sighed, eyes dropping.

"Iolaus, I'm only trying to…" he began, guiltily. He had to do something. Didn't Iolaus understand that he was trying to save his life? He would thank him later when he lived. When Hercules made up for the days of torture spent on his behalf. He would make it up to Iolaus, and this was how.

"Just GO!" Iolaus interrupted furiously. "You obviously don't care about me, so leave already!" Hercules sat back, stunned. Iolaus had never spoken to him in that tone before. Stung, speechless, Hercules turned and walked out, leaving Iolaus alone.

* * *

**_Two days later:_**

Why did Athena always have to have her temple at the top of high and treacherous mountains? Was it really necessary? The Goddess of wisdom, and she had her temples up on the most stupid places humanly possible.

"What do you think you're doing, Herc?" A sudden voice demanded from behind him. Hercules peeked over his shoulder, and nearly jumped when he noticed Aphrodite, his little half sister, floating behind him. He cocked an eyebrow. "Aphrodite?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, it's me, dimwit. What do you think you're doing?" Aphrodite asked again, her beautiful face stern and angry. Hercules sighed. "I'm trying to get to Athena's temple. By the way, I don't suppose you could just beam me up there or something, could you?" he asked slyly, glancing down. He had already climbed a few thousand feet.

If he fell now, it was_ splat_ for Hercules the legendary hero. "Absolutely not. Athena actually sent me down here to tell you to get the heck off her rock and get your big-headed behind back to curly!" She raged, stomping one bare foot on the air. Hercules stared at her. He really wished she would wear something to _cover _up.

"Herc-focus!" She snapped her fingers in front of his face. "What? Oh, right. Have you ever considered wearing actual clothes for once?" he asked. "Not really," Aphrodite snorted. "Anyway, turn around right now, big brother!" she commanded in her usual bossy mood. .

"Aphrodite I'm looking for a cure for Iolaus. And if it isn't here I'm off to see Ares and beat it out of him," he planned. "Ares doesn't have it. Neither does Athena or me. You're a real big idiot, you know," she told him. "What? How does no one know where or what it is?" Hercules exclaimed, shocked.

Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Because it's _you_, idiot!" She said, throwing up her hands. Hercules stared at her confusedly. Him?

"Me? What do you mean it's me?" he asked. "What do you think? There is no cure for whatever sickness Curly's got, Herc, but, as you_ should_ know by now, love conquers all things. He ran away from the palace and sought you out because he knew being with you would give him the strength to fight the sickness!" She explained grumpily. Hercules gasped, and nearly let go of the ledge. "Wow, wow!" He gasped as his foot slipped.

Snapping her fingers, Aphrodite replaced the fallen rock with another stronger one. Hercules exhaled. "Thanks. But are you sure about Iolaus? All he has to do is fight the sickness and he can destroy it?" he asked.

"Not alone, duh! That's why he went looking for you! He knew you'd give him a reason to fight that hard, and that you, of all people, would help him through the rough parts," _what?_

"Well, for goodness sakes, why didn't he just tell me that? Why did he try to tell me to let go and accept his death and all that stupidness?" he demanded of her, aghast, ashamed, confused. Aphrodite looked as if she wanted to punch him.

"Because, _airhead_, he didn't want to get your hopes up. It is not a guarantee it can work. Only a very strong love can conquer death. I think Hades already has him on the cut list for the Fates," she told him. Hercules's eyes widened.

He was such an idiot! If only he had listened to Iolaus, if only he hadn't been so selfish. This quest had been a quest to get rid of his own guilt, not save Iolaus. And now…How was Iolaus ever supposed to forgive him now?

"I'm such an idiot!" he gasped. Aphrodite nodded unsympathetically. "You are. Want a ride back to town?" She asked slyly. Hercules nodded gratefully. "I would appreciate it a lot, sis. Is Iolaus still alive?" He asked.

Aphrodite shrugged. "I think so, but death isn't my area of expertise, as you know. Even so, I don't think he has much longer, Herc," she told him, almost worriedly.

Aphrodite was vain, self-centered and lazy, but her heart was still as good as a person who had never hated could get. Hercules accepted this with a deep breath. He deserved whatever he got.

"Okay. Okay. I'm ready to go," he prompted. Aphrodite nodded. "Good luck bro," she whispered as a bright light suddenly engulfed his entire body. A few seconds later, he was standing in front of the inn where Iolaus was again. Hurriedly, he raced inside and up the stairs.

"Iolaus!" he cried as he burst into the room, which was empty of person or belongings. The bed had been made up and the room cleaned. Had Iolaus left? What was he thinking? He couldn't go anywhere in his condition!

Shaking his head, Hercules dashed back down the stairs. "Excuse me," he said, waving at Magnus, once more standing next to the innkeepers daughter. Hercules didn't pay her any mind.

"Have either of you seen the man I came in with yesterday recently?" he asked them impatiently. His anxiety seemed to startle the two. "Why, yes," the woman stuttered. "We saw him go to the tavern a few hours ago. Is everything alright?" he could have kissed her. The tavern? What was Iolaus doing there? Not picking fights, Hercules hoped.

"Fine. I don't suppose you could run a warm bath for him? We'll still be needing that room," he said to her. She nodded, less cheerily than usual, but without complaint. Hercules had no time to thank her. Thinking about all the ways he was going to_ kill_ Iolaus if he were not dead already, he ran into the tavern, and his heart stopped.

Iolaus was lying sprawled over a table, limbs limp and entire body immobile upon the hard surface. His deep blue eyes were closed in silence, mouth hanging slightly open, hair sticky on his forehead with syrupy beer. Hercules toppled against the door, shocked, grief-stricken. "No," he whispered. He was too late.

He hadn't made it in time.

Suddenly, a bartender came over and gave Iolaus's bare belly a sharp smack. "Hey! Get up! No free loaders!" He yelled gruffly. Hercules started to move forward, to tell this man he was desecrating the dead, but before he could, Iolaus's eyes fluttered open and he sat up, rubbing his head. Hercules gawked at his very alive friend whom he had just assumed dead a moment before.

"Hmm? Why'se ya hittin' me?" Iolaus hissed, rubbing his red smack mark. He was obviously drunk. Drunk was better than dead face down in a gutter. Hercules chuckled a little, startled by his own relief.

"Ah, Iolaus," he snickered. He came forward and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hercules!" the bartender gasped, noticing him. "Yes. You'll have to excuse my friend Iolaus. He's having a tough week," he explained passively.

"Tough week? I don ha more'n a week to live, even!" Iolaus slurred."And I come'n here to get-" hiccup "some provisionals for the road and som men get me drunk and leave me, then you interrupt my sleepin! What's that all about, eh?" he growled, glaring at the bartender.

Hercules was so happy to see him he couldn't even summon the urge to be irritated. "Yes, yes, Iolaus, he's sorry," he said before the bartender could give Iolaus a piece of his well-tuned mind.

Iolaus turned to him with glassy eyes. "You!" he roared, hopping of the table with surprising agility for one so drunk. Balance, though, wasn't coming along too well. He staggered into a table behind him, gripping it hard.

"I member you! You're that double-crossin, no good traitor that up'n lef me for dead! _Two_ times! Well, who's strong and bad now, Herc? Huh? Am I good enough for you now?" he hiccupped. Hercules stared, what was he saying? Was it the delusions of the drunk?

"What? Iolaus, what do you mean? I only left once, and I'm back now!" He pointed out, patting Iolaus on the shoulder to show him that he was, indeed, very real. Iolaus smacked his hand away unsteadily.

"Don pretend to be stupid, you, you…Stupid head!" he spat furiously. "Ithicles told me how you lef me! How you didn' wanna be my partner no more cause of the torture! You think I'm weak, huh? Jus cause I screamed a little, and cried a little and begged a little… Well I ain't _weak_! I can still do it!" His voice turned from angry to pleading.

"Jus give me a chance, buddy. I will show ya, I will. I won't be weak no mo'. I'll be the best partner ever! Ya…Ya jus gotta help me fight this sickness, you know? Then I'll heal up quick and we can go back to bein friends agin, okay? I promise, Herc, I-I promise," another hiccup mixed with a sob.

Hercules felt his heart crack; vomit slithered up his throat. He disgusted himself. "Iolaus. Just stop talking. You're drunk. You don't know what you're saying. Let me take you back to your room," he said, reaching out to steady him, but Iolaus shook his head, slow tears trailing down his face, large blue eyes drowned in them.

"Why'd you gotta go and leave me, Herc? I-I woke up and ya weren't there. It was dark. The memories hurt, I needed t' learn t' walk agin, and member everythin, and you weren't there for none of it! Why weren't you there? You've always been there! What'd I do wrong?" he asked tearfully.

Tears threatened to spill. He put both hands on Iolaus's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Iolaus," he said softly. "I'm so sorry," he was. He really, deeply was. Iolaus stared into his eyes for a long time, both of them studying each other past blurred vision.

Then, he closed his eyes and leaned back. "Take me back," he whispered softly. Hercules obliged. Scooping Iolaus into his arms, he carried him back to the inn, his heart broken and steadily bleeding out into rivers of woe.

* * *

By the morning, when Iolaus woke up, groggy but no longer half-drunk, Hercules was ready. "Good morning," he greeted softly as he walked in with a bowl of warm oatmeal on a tray in his hands. Iolaus, having woken with his customary scream, blinked at him in the dim light.

"Hercules?" he gasped, eyes widening as if he suspected Hercules were just a dream. "You're back?" he obviously didn't remember the night before. Hercules gulped and nodded, shyly.

"Yeah. I'm back," he agreed lamely, setting the tray down by Iolaus's bed. Iolaus studied him for a minute, wearily. "You didn't find a cure?" It was a question for his sole benefit. Both knew there was no cure.

He shook his head anyway. "You were right. Even Aphrodite gave me a lecture on it," he admitted. Iolaus let out a startled chuckle that rattled his chest. "Aphrodite? Ha! When did she get on my side? And what's this about?" he gestured towards the tray of food.

Hercules smiled wanly and closed the door. "I'm not sure when Aphrodite started being your personal ally. And I know you haven't eaten in awhile," he exhaled slowly.

"Consider it an apology," he answered the second question. "An apology?" Iolaus asked, surprised. "For what?" He_ really_ didn't remember the night before. "For leaving, and not listening to you when you tried to tell me there isn't a physical cure," he replied.

Iolaus smiled, amicably. "Yeah, well, I've sort of left you hanging plenty of times whenever there's been a giant monster trying to eat a pretty girl, so…We'll call it even," he decided.

Hercules had to laugh. "That's too true, my friend," he sobered. "Iolaus," he began hesitantly. "Do you know the reason why I left you the…The first time?" He asked. Iolaus put down the bowl of oatmeal, which he had been studying with distaste. "Ah, about that," he rubbed the back of his head.

"Listen, Herc, I-I'm sorry for…Well, you know, for what happened back when we were captured. While I was being tortured I admit I wasn't the-wasn't the bravest warrior ever seen. I get it would sort of _change _how you think about me to see me like that, but…" Hercules couldn't take it anymore.

He sat on the edge of Iolaus's bed and squeezed his leg. "It didn't change a thing, Iolaus. Not ever. You were being mercilessly…Tortured, and yet you didn't tell them what they wanted to know. You could have. They didn't know that you had the information, but you could have spewed it anyway._ That_, to me, is the bravest thing a warrior could do. And you forget, in the end, I did tell them what they wanted. I caved in and I wasn't even being hurt any. I'd think that would change how you felt about_ me_," he said. Iolaus started at him.

"What? No! Never!" he reached over to grab Hercules's hand. "You did it to save me! Frankly I'm grateful you did. And it all worked out for the best anyway," he assured him. "Exactly! Then you should know that's exactly how I feel," Hercules exclaimed, relieved that they had gotten this far without incident. "But," doubt entered the other's eyes.

"But Hercules, I-I mean I _begged_ them. I screamed…" Hercules nodded. "So did I; Iolaus. I don't know if you heard it, but I begged them to stop, too. I screamed with you. It felt as if they were torturing me too. I guess…" He took a deep breath.

"I suppose that's half the reason why I left. I-I'm ashamed that I let that happen to you. I'm supposed to be Hercules, worlds greatest hero, savior of mankind, and yet…I can't even keep my best friend safe," Iolaus rolled his eyes at the familiar argument, the always taut piece of tension in his heart.

"Hercules, how many times do I have to say this? You can't do everything. Hero, Hercules or Zeus, not everything is in your hands. I know the rest of Greece thinks otherwise, but I don't. I know that if there had been anything you could have done to help me; you would have done it," Iolaus told him, once again. They did seem to have this talk a lot.

Hercules exhaled, wondering how even after torture, Iolaus could still_ trust_ him so much.

"But you said that was only half the reason," Iolaus continued fluidly. Hercules nodded. "The other half…Er…I thought you'd be better off without me," this shocked Iolaus more than his first reason. "What? Isn't it my job to think that?" he gasped.

Hercules smiled grimly. "Yeah, and now I see how difficult it is. Iolaus, I was so ashamed. And afraid. The physicians told us, at first, that if you did live you'd never be mentally stable again. Maybe never recognize the people who loved you, or stand on your own. And if you did get better, who's to say that this won't happen to you ever again? who's to say next time it won't kill you, or…Or_ break_ you? Knowing that…I just wanted you to be safe and happy, and well, I thought that the only way you could do that was without me," he admitted, Iolaus stared at him a full minute before bursting into laughter.

Hercules flinched, shocked. He had not expected that reaction. But Iolaus was still laughing. In fact, he had curled into a ball, holding his sides as he snorted and gasped. Hercules watched him, a smile tugging at the sides of his mouth. He hadn't heard Iolaus laugh like this in a long time, and after awhile, he joined in, the both of them laughing hard enough to cramp their sides and send tears rushing down both sets of faces.

"Oh. Oh. Oh, Herc. Ahhh," Iolaus groaned at last, finally rolling unto his back, still caught in a spell of snickers as he clutched his side. "Ah, my sides. I haven't laughed so long since before the wars. Ah, ouch…Ha! Look at you! You're red in the face!" he laughed, pointing. Hercules nodded.

"So are you," he agreed, holding his own cramping sides. "I'm getting too old for this, Iolaus," he gasped. Iolaus nodded. "Me too, buddy. Oh, man. I can barely breathe. Don't' do stuff like that to me," he scolded. "I was serious," Hercules told him. Iolaus was incredulous.

"What? That whole speech was real? I thought it was a joke!" he gasped. Hercules huffed. So much for his feelings. "No. I was serious," He repeated. Iolaus chuckled at his moping face.

"Well, it certainly sounded like a joke, that's for sure! Herc, has it ever occurred to you that I feel safest and happiest with_ you_? You're like my brother, danger aside. Brothers stick together, it's the code," he informed him. Hercules blinked.

"I know, but…" Iolaus waved his hand. "No buts. I choose to fight at your side and get hurt at your side and do stupid heroic stunts at your side because it's what makes _me_ happy. You should know that. Have you ever seen me frown near you? Except when its of the direst of circumstances?"

Hercules thought back, and realized that Iolaus was right. He never had seen him frown at his side. He was always smiling, cracking jokes, contently yawning, grumbling g ood-naturedly. He never truly complained or spoke about unhappiness.

"Well then," he stated, curiously. Iolaus grinned. "Yep, there you have it. Whoo, that was a hoot," he chuckled. Hercules smiled. "As much as it's a hoot that you think I'd ever leave you because you screamed-I screamed louder by the way, I don't know how you didn't hear me-during torture," he scoffed. Iolaus blushed.

"Yeah, well, I guess we both made some mistakes," he murmured. "We did, but we'll never make them again," Hercules summed up smugly. He cocked his head. "Oh, and Iolaus? I'm sorry I wasn't there the first time. To help with your healing. I…That's my greatest regret out of all this," he said.

Iolaus's eyes were kind. He gave a half shrug. "Oh, well, you would have just gotten in the way anyhow. You're here now, that's all that matters, and there's plenty more healing for us to do. Besides, your mother handled your post well enough," he commented dryly. Hercules chuckled. "She was there?" he wondered.

Iolaus rolled his eyes. "Every day. I swear she spoke with your voice, Hercules. You mean, you know I love Alcmene like my own mother, but for goodness sakes…'Iolaus, you must get something to eat, Iolaus, you mustn't stand on that foot too long, Iolaus if you keep flirting with your maids I shall show them all your baby portraits," he went on, copying Alcmene's soft but firm voice. Hercules clapped his hands, snorting. "Ha! And to think I was worried about your health!" He cheered. Iolaus sighed, exasperated.

"Yep, she was the _real_ reason I ran away. Too much motherly love and coddling for me. It was as if you were there, but in a dress. And you know what was really unfair?" Hercules stood and grabbed their abandoned fishing lines. They had a lot of work to do.

"I ran away one time before this," Iolaus told him. "I got down the hall before the guards caught me of course, but then Ithicles and Jason, may they rot in Tartarus for it, brought out that old feather we used to play with to punish me," he said. Hercules plucked a crow's feather from underneath the window. He had a rather tempting idea…

"What feather?" he asked innocently, back turned to Iolaus, who for the first time in days, was actually eating. Ravenously, the smaller man dug into his cold oatmeal with relish.

"Oh, you know, that old raven's feather we used to play with…What was the game called?...Oh! Tickle feather, when we were kids. They called it_ exercise_ when the held me down and made me laugh until I was purple in the face. Can you believe that?" Iolaus demanded, outraged by the indignance of being ticklish.

Hercules bit back a laugh. You know, in a certain light, crows and ravens weren't that different. "It was quite an evil act," he agreed casually. "Yeah, tell me about it," Iolaus swallowed his last bite of oatmeal with satisfaction.

"There. Now, Hercules, do you think they've rebuilt that house that burned yet? I don't think it'd be too much work for me to maybe help nail in some boards or something," he began. Hercules laughed. It was so good to have his brother back. "Sure, Iolaus, just one thing…" he said. "What?" Iolaus asked inquisitively.

"How about we play a game first? To give you some exercise? I was thinking, mmm, maybe tickle feather?" he turned, holding the feather between two fingers ominously.

Iolaus went paler than he had been when he had been struck by fever. "Herc," he began nervously as Hercules advanced. "Don't you dare…No! Herc!" he protested as Hercules tackled him back into bed.

Scrawny arms fought against the large ones holding them down, but Hercules was as strong as ten men; after all. "Hercules, please no, don't! I'm sick, remember? Aha, cough, cough, see? Terribly sick, now if you could just…Eeek! Hercules!" He squealed as Hercules began nimbly feathering long fingers around Iolaus's ribs, sides and collarbone. "You like that, don't you?" Hercules taunted, pressing with his merciless attack upon Iolaus's bare stomach.

"Come on, Herc!...Ah, stop it!...You can't do this…No, don't!...We're too old, not a kid anymore!…No fair, you're stronger!...Stop it, stop!...I'm gonna get you for this eventually!" Iolaus gasped in between laughs.

Knowing your partner for a multitude of years, since birth basically, gave one the unique chance to learn where all his tickle spots were. "When you have super-strength, I'll believe that. Now, hold still while I get this spot under your chin," he ordered mildly.

"HERCULES!" Iolaus wailed desperately, giggling madly. Hercules chuckled and nodded. "That's my name, don't wear it out. By the way, don't take this personally, Iolaus, stuff like this is just part of the brother code."


End file.
